


the king and the rogue

by onyxaltair



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Dragon Age AU, M/M, One direction AU, also an unnamed niall but hes just there, im so self indulgent when i write fic gOd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2017-05-10
Packaged: 2018-08-11 13:44:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7894870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onyxaltair/pseuds/onyxaltair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis knew working with the Inquisition was dangerous. He knew that sneaking around the King’s coronation with the Inquisitor was <i>especially</i> dangerous. But he didn’t expect to be caught snooping in the Royal Quarters.</p><p>To be fair, it was in the Kings best interest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. i

**Author's Note:**

> is this something that people want? or am i just self serving? leave a comment if youd be interested in more dragon age themed ot4 bc if people are interested,,, ill supply

The King sat atop his throne, chestnut curls tumbling down underneath his golden crown, embedded with more jewels than Louis could even name. Beside him stood his second in command, some Dalish elf that was the one who had caught Louis int the Kings Quarters. A knife-eared prick, in Louis’ opinion. 

One of the guards grasped Louis’ shoulder, and forced him onto his knees. He was inclined to make a remark, but bit his tongue in fear of getting a worse sentence than he was already going to get. He didn’t need treason on top of trespassing.  
King Harry stood up, and a lavender suit peeked out from underneath his dark cloak. He sauntered towards Louis, who avoided looking the royal in the eyes.

Harry stopped inches away from him. He slid his fingers under Louis’ chin, and tilted his face upwards, forcing eye contact. The elf sniggered behind him, and Louis growled in response. Harry rolled his eyes.

“You’ve been accused of trespassing. Anything to say in your defence?”  
Louis was planning on staying silent, but he felt something sharp dig into the back of his neck.  
“It’s not often you see someone from Ferelden as an Orlesian King, yanno? I wanted to get all up in it.”  
Harry laughed coldly. “Should’ve figured that you would end up all up in a cell, after being in a restricted area.”  
The elf sniggered again at the remark, look quite proud of what he had done.  
“Oh shut up, knife-ears.” Louis spat. “Nobody asked you.”  
The Dalish boy raised an eyebrow. “You realise you’re an elf too, city boy?”  
“Key words there. ‘M a _City_ elf. I don’t believe in some shitty gods that don’t exist, _Dalish._ ”  
The boy stepped forward, producing a knife from under his coat. “How dare you! I-“  
“Enough!” Harry shouted. “The both of you!”  
The entire hall was silent. Louis could hear the rumble of storm clouds ways away from the castle walls.  
Harry spun on his heel, and walked back towards the throne, waving his hand above his head.  
“Put him in the gaol. We’ll figure this out when he stops acting like a child.”

 

-

 

Three days. Three days in this damp, dark cell. No sun, no Inquisitor, no trial. Hell, he was barely getting food.  
Louis wouldn’t be surprised if in mere days from now he was slim enough to get through the bars and bail himself out.  
Louis moved back towards the pile of straw they called a bed, which he moved to the opposite corner than the chamber pot, which was yet to be emptied.

Even in these appalling conditions, Louis had been in worse. A day in the life of a rogue often ended in a cell. Although, since he had joined the Inquisition under Liam’s rule, he had been surprisingly out of trouble. Even when he had been caught, they came back for him.

He supposed it was a bit harder when he was in the most heavily guarded place in Halamshiral. Orlais, even.

Louis heard the clanking of keys in a lock towards the other end of the cell block. He hoped that someone was coming with food. Maybe more than stale bread, perhaps.  
The footsteps came closer, and Louis saw a figure step through the darkness, towards his cell. When they came close enough that Louis could see the tray they were holding in the light of a lantern by the side of the cell, Louis almost squealed in delight, but then he saw the face under the cloak.

“King Harry?” Louis asked, moving closer to the bars. “Is it time for my trial?”  
“No.” He replied. “Just thought I’d check up.”  
Louis laughed dryly. “ _Check up?_ What kind of lie is that? Why are you really here?”  
Harry’s brows knitted together. He ushered Louis to move even closer to the bars.  
Even with nothing to lose, Louis move closer tentatively. Harry reached through the bars, and wiped at the crusted blood on his lower lip. Louis gasped at the sudden movement, then flinched away as he pressed down on the wound.  
“They did this? The guards?”  
“Yeah. First night. _’Price of treason’_ apparently.”  
Harry stood up, and slid the tray of food under the cell bars. _Roll of bread, pint of water._  
“I apologise for that, Louis.”

 

-

 

The next day, the hooded figure came back, again with a tray of food.  
Harry knelt in front of the bars, and smiled.  
“They’ve been put on trial.”  
Louis tilted his head. “What?”  
“The guards. They’ve been put on trial.” He grinned. “For _treason_.”  
Louis laughed genuinely, for the first time in days.  
Harry’s smile slipped away. “’M properly sorry though, for what they did. You didn’t deserve that. No matter what you did.”

As the King walked away, Louis noticed the container of salve sitting amongst the food on his tray.

 

Over the next few weeks, the King came past nearly every day with extra food, and talked about Louis’ trial. They talked about the negotiations from the Inquisition for his release, the news around Thedas, the weather… Just talking, really. 

The King was trying to move Louis’ case forward, but with so many things to deal with after the coronation, Louis had to wait.

“Y’know, I didn’t know that I’d have to choose the drapery in the palace. Not that I mind. Its just… How is it more important than all the trials? All the proper political things? Than…” Harry trailed off.  
Louis watched a rat scurry behind Harry. He didn’t notice.  
“I’m really trying to get you out, you know.” Harry said softly, staring at his ring clad hands. “Liam explained to me about the assassination threats and why you were there. We’re working on capturing the assassin at the moment, actually. We think he ran back to Antiva, and we’re trying to find him. Another reason why this is taking so long.”  
“I understand.” Louis said. “It is bloody awful in here, but some things take priority. A Kings safety is one of them.”  
“I’m worth no more than you.”  
“Yes, you are. You have a country to rule. People look up to you. I can wait, I promise.”  
Harry took Louis’ hands through the bars, and looked him straight in the eyes.  
“I’ll get you out, I promise.”

 

-

 

Days continued to go by, the King still coming down when he could, feeding Louis’ whatever he could spare. Louis felt almost detached from the situation. It was strange to think that he was associating with a noble. A King, no less! A King for a friend was a strange thought indeed, so he kept it as friends with just _Harry,_ a person like any other. Who also happened to wear a more expensive cloak than all of Louis’ clothes put together.

The marks on the wall indicated that it had been just over a month when a certain elf came with Louis’ food tray instead of his curly haired friend.  
“’Sup Knifey?” Louis remarked, leaning against the cell wall.  
The elf groaned, and kicked the tray under the bars.  
“You know, I am _trying_ to be polite.”  
“Whoever said ‘Knifey’ was a bad nickname?”  
The elf just glared back at him.  
“Fair point. Why’d they send you down, anyway?”  
“Your trial is later. I’m just here to tell you that you should be ready for when you are collected, in a short while.” The elf started to walked back out of the room.  
“What do you expect me to do? Wash my face with my piss? Not much for me to work with here!”  
“What your traditions are aren’t my business!” He called out, the door shutting behind him somewhere in the darkness.

 

Harry arrived some time later, cell keys in hand. He jingled them as he got closer, a grin playing on his face. After a moment of fumbling, the key slotted into the lock, and no sooner as the door opened was Louis bursting out, laughing in his almost freedom. Harry laughed too, grabbing Louis and holding him to his chest. Louis shouldn’t have felt so comfortable in the King’s arms, but somehow, he was.

“I told you.” Harry said, resting his head on Louis’. “ _I promise._ ”


	2. ii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guess who finally updated a fic for once

Louis arrived back home five days later.   
It was nice to be back in Skyhold, nestled in the Frostback Mountains. It was miles ahead of the stale air of the dungeon he was locked in, and even still ahead of the forests that he had passed through. The cool, mountain air was unrivalled.  
He spent little time in the fresh air however, opting to spend some time in the familiar air of the tavern, catching up with some sorely needed drinking.

It was weird, he thought. He had promised to himself that he wouldn’t soften for romance. With Harry it seemed so easy. So easy to tear down the walls that he had painstakingly put up. In this line of work, Louis knew that he shouldn’t be in any serious relationships. Whether platonic, like with Liam, or… whatever he and Harry had between them.   
Louis sipped at his beer, leaning back against the back of the booth. Was he seriously so smitten over something so fleeting?

He shook his head. Truly not as big of a deal as he thought it was. 

Louis made his way to his chambers, his own floor in one of the towers on the outskirts of the castle. The room was largely untouched he noted, besides new candles and piles of paperwork, presumably from the spymaster.   
He grinned to himself and collapsed onto his bed, glad to be able to retreat to the safety of his own rooms.   
After a short while, he willed himself up to read the ominously large pile of letters on his desk.   
They were mostly just reports to catch him up in his six weeks of absence, he was glad to see, and a few correspondences from contacts who were troubled by his disappearance.   
Louis wrote well into the night, falling asleep in the candlelight to the thoughts of a bright face in a dark cell.

He spent the following afternoons training, trying to get back to how fit he was _before_ he was captured, but that was much easier said than done. His muscles ached in a way they hadn't since his younger years, but it gave Louis a sense of purpose without any real mission. While he was training his mind was too focused to wander, and that finally gave him moments of true peace.

Besides training, life made its way back to normal. He made his rounds around the fortress, making talk with his fellow spys and soldiers, and reported to the dignitaries when asked.   
Life was truly back to its every day bustle. 

When Liam invited him to the his quarters a few days after his arrival, Louis was anxious to hear Liam go on about how careless he was in the Winter Palace.

“I’m glad you finally made it back.” Liam said, as Louis sat down on the seat adjacent to where he sat on his bed.  
“’M glad you finally decided to bail me out.”  
Liam laughed heartily, leaning back into the pillows.  
“It’s nice to have you back here, was too quiet without you.”

They sat and talked for a while, babbling about everything from the Breach to the nug stew that was served for dinner last night, which the nug-loving spymaster flipped her _lid_ about.  
“What’s a nug ever done to you!” Louis exclaimed, putting on a terrible fake Orlesian accent. “They are harmless, and should be left alone!”   
Liam laughed and rubbed at his face as the room fell silent.   
Louis had learned to cherish these moments. Every near death experience and person lost nailed in the idea of impermanence to him. Every moment he could get with every person he could get meant so much to him, and silly chats with the Inquisitor were no exception.   
He smiled for a moment, and went to tracing the embroidery on the quilt they were laying on, watching the rise and fall of Liam’s chest out of the corner of his eyes.

In time Liam sighed, breaking the silence.  
“Im afraid there are more… pressing matters to discuss.”  
Louis frowned and leant forward, ushering Liam to continue.  
“We heard rumours about the King while you were in the palace.”  
“Oh?”  
“We heard he had an… interest in an elf.”  
Louis fought to keep his face unreadable Why would the King lead him on like that of he was with that knife-ear?  
“Probably his _Dalish_ guard.” Louis spat, sliding his hands under his thighs to avoid punching something.   
“I heard it was a certain imprisoned _city_ elf.”  
Louis squeaked, then tried to cover it up with a cough.  
Oh. _Oh._  
Liam laughed again, and handed handed Louis one of the folded papers that sat on his bedside table.  
“You might want to attend this one.”Liam said as Louis opened it, the gold leaf details glimmering in the candle light.   
“Louis, the Inquisition has been cordially invited to the Satinalia Ball at the Winter Palace.”


	3. iii

“We were invited _where?_?”  
Liam laughed and stood up, meandering over to one of the balconies in his quarters. “Despite you being caught in the palace, we were invited to attend the ball this Satinalia.”   
“They just… ignored the six weeks I just spent in their prison for breaking and entering?”  
“Well, no.” Liam sighed, leaning over the railing. “ _Technically_ you aren’t supposed to attend, but there have been more assassination threats on the King, and they want our help to solve it.  
“However, even though you were caught last time, a set-up from what I understand, you are one of our best agents and rogues, and there is no-one else I trust enough to find out who is working against Orlais.”  
Louis gulped and leant against the bedpost, staring up at the ceiling. The open door had let in a cool breeze, which lightly ruffled Louis’ hair as he thought.   
“I don’t know if I can… hm” Louis rapped his knuckes on the wood. “What if I get caught again?”  
“Hope that your favour with the King is enough to keep from being excecuted.”

 

-

 

Louis, until this point, had tried to get the idea of his relationship with Harry out of his head, but being thrown back into the pot with him is certainly enough to send him spiralling into a whirlwind of intrusive thoughts and what-ifs. He dawdled in his room for a while, pacing back and forth as he considered every thought and worry. 

He wasn’t able to space out for long however, with a box being delivered to his door by one of Liam’s runners.   
“Inquisitor said this was for you to work on immediately, Ser.”   
The chest was heavy, and Louis had to drag it up the stairs achingly slowly and loudly, annoying everyone on the lower levels of the tower.

He set the chest in the middle of his room, opening it to reveal a pile of locks with a sliver on paper on top.

_A lock from each locksmith that ever outfitted nobility in Orlais. Maybe if you know these well enough you wont get caught this time. L._

Louis snorted and set the note on his desk, grabbing his thieves tools and sitting in front of the chest.

A surprising amount of the locks he was already familiar with, their makers supplying well into Ferelden, and Louis already knew how to unlock those with fair ease.  
Some of the more complex and ornate locks tended to catch him up though, the pins being in strange configurations, and traps installed to break smaller lock picks, destroying some of Louis’ spares. 

Over the few weeks leading to Satinalia, Louis not only trained everyday, he wrote a half dozen reports and read three times that, and got so familiar with the locks that he could pick every one in the chest in under a minute, sending Liam to order more for him.  
He didn’t want to risk it this time. There was no way he was going to get caught this time, and there was no way he was going to let the King die.

 

As the weeks turned to days, Louis started to pack for the near week long travel. Not that he had to pack much – the Inquisition was bringing enough supplies to feed, dress and protect a small army, with only just over a dozen were attending the ball.

He went down to the stables when he was ready to leave, greeting his horse for the first time in weeks. The mare took a few moments to calm down and get used to him again, but soon enough they were riding out of Skyhold together. He was riding out a few hours after the main group with the Inquisitor in it, planning to arrive to Halamshiral as a different party, posing as some Orlesian nobles.   
Two Chargers were at his flanks, acting as bodyguards on the trip there. It helped with camping at night, having someone on watch, and deterred any bandits the the main group didn’t take out before them.   
On the afternoon of the sixth day of riding, they arrived just outside of Halamshiral.

Louis stopped the group, fishing some bits and pieces from his bag. He pinned his ears back as best as he could, using his hair to cover where they sat flat against his head. One of the Chargers handed him a silverite mask, ushering him to put it on. After he tied it on, the three made it towards the main gates.

“Your names, Sers?” A guard called out from behind the massive entry gates.  
“Joseph DuTegris,” Louis said, lifting a leg and sliding off his horse. “And my two guards.”  
The Orlesian guard checked a list, before nodding them through. 

“Joseph DuTegris? Surely you couldve of come up with something funny.” One of the Chargers said as they passed the gates.  
Louis laughed. “Sera suggested Mai Balsytch, but they hard already gotten Lord DuTegris on the list, I’m afraid.”  
Both Chargers chuckled at that, sliding off their horses to walk them to the stables.

Not much later, the other two had joined the rest of the Inquisitions team, and Louis was dressed and ready to enter the ball. He double checked to make sure his elvhen ears were hidden, then entered the palace gardens. He took his time, making mental notes on guard rotations and the servants who stuck to the edges of the event. 

As he reached the double entry doors, he took a deep breath in, and entered.

 

-

 

As he made his way to the main ballroom, he watched Liam and other Inquisition members being introduced, walking the length of the floor to greet the King. 

Louis tried not to look at Harry, but it was hard not to. His suit was fairly plain, a pearly white from what he could see, but over the top, he wore stunning ornamental armour. The armour was all made of paragon’s luster, a pearly-lavender coloured metal. Too soft for real armour, but perfect for decoration.   
The main piece of armour was a pauldron, covering the top of his left arm and neck, the pattern twisted and knotted like tree roots. He also wore a set of matching gauntlets, boots, and mask. Louis was stunned, he didn’t think anyone besides Harry could pull of something so gaudy without looking terrible. _And Maker knows he could pull it off._

A hand on his shoulder pulled him out of his stupor, a noblewoman pointing him over to the man who was announcing each guest.   
“Joseph?” _Oh no._  
Louis shuffled over, muttering an apology in a poor imitation of an Orlesian accent. The man cleared his throat and called out _’Lord Joseph DuTegris’_ as Louis walked the span of the floor, frantically trying to silently tell Liam that this was a problem. Liam shrugged, and pointed at his mask, then at Louis.  
Louis hoped the mask was enough. 

He was close now, stopping a few feet in front of Harry. Up close, Louis could see that his suit had subtle silky lace patterning where it peeked through the ornamental armour.  
Louis glanced up, avoiding eye contact as he bowed, and Harry tilted his head forward in response, a small smile playing on his lips. As he made eye contact, Harry winked.  
Louis gasped and took a step back, stalking off of the floor.

He had hoped that he wouldn’t notice, and that this infatuation would be extinguished, but as soon as they made eye contact, there was a fluttering in his stomach that he had avoided for years.   
He had hoped that him and Harry’s… _fling_ wouldn't interfere with Inquisition work, but here he was, supposed to be incognito, with the most important person in the room recognizing him. 

_Fuck._

He brushed past Liam on his way out of the grand ballroom.  
“He knows.” Louis said, breathing heavy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look who updated within a reasonable amount of time


	4. iv

Louis entered the vestibule, leaning against a giant marble statue while he took a breath and regained his composure.  
He knew he would’ve had to see the King, as that was who he was saving, but he didn’t think that Harry would recognize him. They had only known each other a month and a half, and has been apart for three times that. Had Harry really thought those weeks as so memorable to remember a criminal? To remember, despite if it was helping or not, someone who had broken into his home and chambers?

Not that Louis could talk, Harry’s face had been in his every dream since he had left the castle. It was ridiculous, but he couldn't stop.

A few more minutes passed before Louis came to his senses.

He took a deep breath and stood back up straight.  
He didn’t have time for this.  
He had a job to do.

Louis turned on his heel and walked confidently through a doorway that connected the vestibule to a largely empty room. Servants made their way out of what he assumed was a door to their quarters, and into the large ballrooms behind him.

He stuck to the shadows that hung by the edges of the room to get to the other door. On his way, he managed to catch himself in one of the dozens of mirrors in this room.

Louis was wearing a simple light blue shirt, complimenting the pale blue of his eyes, as well as black doublet on top with matching black breeches. It was simple and sophisticated as to fit in with the ball’s attendees, and he could still blend into the shadows as planned.

Fixing his silverite Orlesian half mask, he snuck through the door and up a set of stairs. He took a moment to recall the map of the palace he was given back in Skyhold, and found his way through the servants quarters to the royal wing, picking locks as he went. 

He reached the top floor of the royal wing, and saw a set of doors that were as ornate as the ones in the ballroom, although these were much smaller. He decided if there any clues to the assassins working against Harry, they'd be in his quarters. 

He was a bit scared, to say the least, after being caught in the act last time and being sent to the cells. Despite the Inquisition being able to do this with no qualms, Louis was exactly on the list on Inquisition employees allowed to be at this event. If he was caught again… He didn’t want to know what would happen.

Louis sat down and set out his tools, setting up to pick the door locks.  
After a few moments the mechanism gave a soft _click,_ and he was able to open the doors and enter into the Kings room.

He shut the door behind him and took a moment to find a lamp and light it, using the light to survey the room. As his gaze focused, he saw a body in the centre of the room.   
Louis stood back, shocked, and pressed against the wall for a moment before bringing himself back forward to inspect. It was a blonde serving elf, laying sprawled on his stomach. Louis tilted their head slightly, and in a moment of strange relief, he noted it wasn’t the Kings personal elf. A plain knife was embedded in his back, but there was enough blood to suspect there was more wounds on his torso. 

As he tried to find more clues, he heard footsteps outside the door and immediately rushed to blow out the lamp and hide. He was halfway behind a wardrobe when the door opened. 

The King entered the room, the light reflecting off of the knots in his armour and projecting water like patterns on the walls. Louis audibly gasped at the display, going through a thousand emotions before settling on _panic,_ and rushing to turn on the lamp and explain himself.

As the room became more clearly illuminated, Harry glanced between between the body and Louis.   
Harry took a step towards the body.  
Louis went to explain himself, but Harry spoke first.

“Oh no.”  
Louis breathed out. “Oh no indeed.”  
“Was this… Was it you?” Harry asked, bending down to inspect the body.  
“No. It was here when I got in. No crest on the blade. No identification at all on the elf, that I could see.”  
Harry sighed and stood up, adjusting the gauntlets he wore.  
“I had had hoped to see you again in much more… pleasurable times.” He sighed, detaching his vertical half mask and placing it on his bed.   
He walked out for a moment, Louis watching his back as he sent a pair of servants to issue warnings for others, and to collect the body, prepare a pyre, and a ceremony for final rites.

He collected his mask and they moved to a guest room on the other side of the hall. Harry fixed his makeup, mask, and outfit in a mirror as Louis spoke.  
“I understand that I wasn’t technically allowed to be here, but there was another set of assassins after you, and you _did_ ask the Inquisition for help so…”  
“It doesn’t matter now.” He said simply, walking over to be face to face with Louis. “You’re here, and I’d like your help stopping me, or any other people in this palace getting killed.”

Louis nodded. He stepped back and hit the edge of a bed, loosing his balance and starting to fall, before Harry caught him. 

Even with the spiked tips at the end of finger on his gauntlet, Harry managed not to injure Louis at all when grabbing him.  
With his assistance, Louis stood up, his heart fluttering from the contact.  
Harry leant forward and pressed a chaste kiss to Louis’ lips, eliciting a surprised noise from the latter. 

Harry sent Louis on his way without skipping a beat, and left for the ballroom before Louis even began to process the situation.   
He pressed his hand to his lips and gathered himself, before heading out a few moments after the King.


	5. v

With Harrys help, Louis took a much shorter path back to the ballroom. 

It was strange to walk alongside him, for the few moments that they did.   
It wasn’t the silence that unnerved him though, it was _moving_ with him.   
Unlike in the cell where they sat either side of iron bars – the hug being the only touch from when he was finally brought out – walking along these corridors they were constantly touching. Their arms brushed, and for a moment or two Louis had been able to feel the soft skin of Harry's hand brush against his own.

It was strange. Such little touch was so exhilarating to him. It was like watching a child eat sweets after weeks of butter soup and gruel.   
He knew he should savour it, but he kept going back for more.

Just for the feeling of his hand on Harry’s.

Soon enough Harry waved him down a different path and slipped away to a different entry. Louis took his time on the way back.   
Eventually he came to a small set of doors not dissimilar to the servants doors he entered in, and came to a room he guessed also joined to the vestibule.  
Louis took a moment to fix his outfit and clear his mind. After some deep breaths he slunk out of the doorway and into what was indeed the vestibule, taking a moment to get lost in the crowd before finding Liam.

He was across the room, talking to someone in a dark gown.   
He waited a few moments after she left before approaching him.  
“Who was that?”  
“Morrigan.” He said, affixating on his cuffs. “Arcane advisor of the court, witch of the wilds, yada yada. She just wants me to continue to do what we are doing.”  
Louis nodded, and took a small fabric bundle that Liam offered to him.  
“Did you find anything?” He continued.  
“Oh. Yeah.” Louis said. “A dead body.”  
“That sounds like a problem.”  
“And the King also saw the body. And me”  
Liam took a double take, before sighing.   
“Of course. Can't be easy, can it.” He took the bundle back from Louis. “Perhaps I’ll take on some of the investigating? Get me some information while I’m gone.”

They said their goodbyes as Liam clapped Louis on the shoulder and left.  
Louis watched him go, hoping that his exit was otherwise unnoticed.

He moved back into the main hall, still stunned by the grandiose décor.   
He weaved himself into the conversations of dozens of nobles, feigning interest in the _newest Orlesian fashion_ \- which more often than not was just adding more gemstones onto their already gaudy attire – for just a glimpse into who has the plot against the royalty.  
After an hour of gossiping with no avail, Louis moved through another set of doors.

Not before glancing over at the King, of course. A king who met his eye and gave a gentle nod.

This set of doors led into a small garden, centred on a marble water feature.   
He glanced around the area, as he made a round. All of the people out here were in noticeably less outrageous ensembles compared to the nobles inside.   
Louis decided to chat to a couple who were nestled in the back of the garden, and forced himself into conversation. 

This conversation, like an unfortunate amount of others this night, hadn’t given him a single lead. It was painful. This is what he had come for, yet all he had found was a dead body and the promise that there were probably other strewn around the palace. He had _none_ of the connections he needed to figure out who wanted the Kings head on a spike.

He still politely babbled though, hoping for any kind of leverage for future endeavours.

He was lucky to get out of said conversation when the bells chimed throughout the palace, bringing everyone into the main room for a few minutes.   
As the crowd filtered out of the garden, he hid behind a row of bushes.  
Liam and the rest of the Inquisition would be in the main hall, with a few rogues like himself hopefully catching something while the rooms were abandoned.

The garden seemed to stay empty though, to Louis’ dismay. He idled for a few minutes, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve while he waited for the crowd to filter back outside.

The bushes adjacent from him rustled, and he immediately perked up. He looked through the leaves at the other side, waiting for something to come out. 

A familiar blonde elf emerged, hands dripping with block, some crusted splatter on his cheek. He walked over to the fountain and started to rinse his hands and face in the running water. 

Louis drew a dagger from the inside of his boot, and walked over with his blade level with the elfs neck.

“You have a minute, Dalish.” He started, watching the colour drain from his face. “You have _one_ minute to explain why you’re covered in blood.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> imagine a world where i post regularly. imagine  
> also theres like.. two chapters ish left so wow

**Author's Note:**

> this fic isnt dead i swear... i want to update it but im not happy with the last two chapters, theyll be uploaded as soon as theyre finished i swear


End file.
